Nearly 200 decomposing bodies have been removed from a Colorado “green” funeral home, a dramatic increase from the initial 115 sets of remains discovered decomposing and improperly stored two weeks ago.
At least 189 bodies were removed after being found Oct. 13 at Return to Nature Funeral Home, an eco-conscious morgue in the rural town of Penrose.
“The total number of deceased could change as the identification and investigation processes continue,” Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper and Coroner Randy Keller said in a news release Tuesday.
It is unclear what condition the additional bodies were found in, although Cooper described the scene as horrific.
The updated body count comes as more than 120 families remain concerned that their relatives may be among the remains discovered inside the business.
Local officials said they would notify next of kin as remains are identified, although officials did not provide a timeline for how long the process will take.
“We are conducting extensive coordination efforts as we focus on identifying the deceased and providing notifications to ensure families receive accurate information to prevent further victimization as they continue to mourn their loved ones,” Keller said.
Police said they found nearly 200 bodies at a “green” Colorado funeral home that was being investigated for improper handling of remains. AP Return to Nature Funeral Home performed “green” burials without chemical embalming or metal caskets. AP
The FBI is working with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the county coroner on the identification process, which could take months, according to local officials.
“Without providing too many details to avoid further victimizing these families, the area of the funeral home where the bodies were improperly stored was horrific,” Cooper said earlier this month.
Police were called to Return to Nature Funeral Home the night of October 3 after reports of a suspicious incident. When investigators returned the next day with a search warrant, they discovered a trove of improperly stored remains.
Under Colorado law, green burials are legal, but state code requires that any body not buried within 24 hours must be adequately refrigerated. SplashNews.com The investigation focused on a building owned by the funeral home where local residents reported smelling an unpleasant stench.
Neighbors interviewed by authorities said they had noticed a putrid smell in recent weeks.
A day after the smell was reported, the director of the state Funeral Home and Crematorium Registration Office spoke with Jon Hallford, the owner of the funeral home, who allegedly attempted to cover up the improper storage of the bodies.
The company offered “green” cremations and burials without embalming chemicals or metal caskets despite growing financial and legal problems.
The owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home have missed tax payments in recent months, been evicted from a previous property and are being sued over unpaid bills for a crematorium they had been doing business with until a year ago, according to public records seen by the AP. . .
Authorities are working to identify the bodies.cbs/colorado
While green burials are legal in Colorado, any body that is not buried within 24 hours must remain refrigerated.
Colorado also has some of the weakest regulations for funeral home operators in the country, requiring no routine inspections or qualifications for operators.
Law enforcement officials said the funeral home owners were cooperating as investigators sought to determine any criminal wrongdoing.
With mail cables.
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